Handhold actuated foldable table



1959 R. B. KAROFF HANDHOLD ACTUATED FOLDABLE TABLE Filed May 21, 1958 FIG.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR paezer B. #41901";

ATTORNEY Jan..13, KAROFF v Q HANDHOLD ACTUATED FOLDABLE TABLE FiledMay 21. 1958 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8

INVENTOR ATTORNEY HANDHOLD ACTUATED FOLDABLE TABLE Robert B. Karotf, New York, N. Y., assignor to Karotf Originals, Ltd., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 21, 1958, Serial No. 736,731 4 Claims. (Cl. .311-62) This invention relates to and has for its prime object the provision of an improved foldable table convertible 'by simple hand operations to produce when in set-up condition a sturdy and strong table and when in folded condition a compact structure convenient for portable handling and storage.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing object and to such other objects as may hereafter appear my in vention relates to the foldable table as sought more particularly to be defined in the appended claims taken together with the. following specifications and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig.1 is a perspective view of one form of said foldable table showing the same in collapsed or folded condition;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof showing the same in an unfolded or set-up condition;

Fig. 3 is an end view thereof showing the same in folded condition;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof shown on a reduced scale;

Fig. 5 is a view taken in cross-section in the plane of i the line 55 of Fig. 2;

. of the line 11-11 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. l2 is a bottom plan view shown to the same scale as Fig. 10 and showing the parts in set-up condition.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings and having reference first to the form of the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the foldable table in its more generic aspects comprises an elongated middle panel 20, a pair of drop-leaf panels 22 and 24 hinged to said middle panel, one on each longitudinal side thereof, a fixed leg support for said table comprising a pair of legs 26 and 28 fixed to the middle panel, one at each end thereof, and a movable leg support generally designated as 30 movable between a folded position lying in a plane within the ambit of said middle panel with the drop-leaf panels 22 and 24 then in folded dropped condition (as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings) and a set-up position lying in a plane perpendicular to the middle panel with the drop-leaf panels then in horizontal set-up condition (as shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6 of the drawings), the said movable leg support 30 forming the support for said drop-leaf panels in their unfolded or set-up condition.

The middle panel 20 is a slender elongated member which may be made of wood or of similar material.

nitcd States atent The fixed legs 26 and 28 in the form of invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 are tubular and made of metal and are attached to the underneath face of the middle panel 20 in any suitable manner as by means of the integral fiattened portions thereof 32 and 34. The drop-leaf panels 22 and 24. which are preferably made of the same material as the middle panel 20 and which in the form shown are substantially semi-circular (where a circular set-up table is desired) are hinged at their opposite ends to the middle panel by means of the hinges 36, 36.

The movable leg support of the table comprises a horizontal member 38 arranged contiguously below and pivoted intermediate the ends thereof and preferably medially thereof as at 40 to the middle panel 20 and a pair of legs 42 and 44, one depending from each end of said horizontal member 38, said movable leg support being movable about the pivot axis 40 between the described positions, namely between a folded position lying in a plane within the ambit of the middle panel and a set-up position lying in a plane perpendicular to said middle panel. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 the horizontal member 38 and the depending legs 42 and 44 are fashioned from a single piece of tubular metal stock as best shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Means is provided for moving the movable leg support between its folded and set-up positions, said means being made accessible or within reach from a position above the table. Said means comprise a handhold 46 attached to the horizontal member 38 at said pivoted axis 40 thereof, said handhold extending above the middle panel 20. This handhold 46 is secured to the horizontal member 38 by means of a pair of threaded washers 48 and a nut 50 which is received by the threaded lower end or shank 52 of said handhold. This assembly is also held against axial movement by means of the threaded washer 54. For limiting the movement of the movable leg support 30 in its set-up condition there is provided a stop pin 56 at the underneath wall of one of the dropleaves such as drop-leaf 22 which is engaged by the horizontal member 38in its limiting position (see Fig. 6).

In the table construction of Figs. 1 to 6 the fixed legs 26 and 28 are located at diagonal corners of the middle panel 20 and the movable leg support 30 in its folded condition is arranged cross-diagonally of said middle panel as will best be seen from viewing Fig. 4 of the drawings. The opposite ends, namely the legs 42 and 44 of the movable leg support 30 are arranged contiguously to the drop-leaf panels when the table is in its folded condition, the arrangement being such that the movable leg support 30 when moved from its folded to its set-up condition will engage and move the panels to their horizontal or set-up condition.

The use and operation of the described] foldable table will now be apparent from the above detailed description. The table is normally in the collapsed or folded condition shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings; and in this condition may be readily moved about, placed in an' inconspicuous position or stored. The handhold 46 may be conveniently used for moving the table from place to place. When it is desired to set up the table the handhold 46 is grasped and given a quarter turn in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow 58 in Fig. 2. While the drop-leaves may at the same time be unfolded by hand, they will be moved by the rotation of the handle 46, the leverage supplied by the two arms of the horizontal member 38 being adequate to lift the drop-leaf panels to their set-up condition. In the set-up condition the two arms of the horizontal member 38 form the support for the drop-leaf panels as best shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

In Figs. 7 to 12 I show a modified structure of the essence 3 foldable table, operating however on the same principles as the foldable table of Figs. 1 to 6. In the structure of Figs. 7 to 12 the table top and the handhold are similar to. thoseof Figs..1,to 6 and are designated by similar but primed reference characters. In this modification the fixedlegsupport comprises a pairqoflegsdtl and 62, one fixed to each end of the middle,panel20, these legs being shown to be made of wood.

The movable leg supportgenerallydesignated as 64 comprises a horizontal member 66 arranged contiguously below and pivoted intermediate its ends and preferably mediallyof its ends as at 68 to the middlerpanel 20' and a pair of legs7t) and .72, ne,depending from each end of said horizontal member 66. These elements'arealso shown tobe made of wood, the legs be ing attached to the horizontal member by means of screws 74, .74. The horizontal member .66 of the-movable leg support issecuredto the handhold 46' by means of the threaded washers 76 and the threaded nut 78 threaded on to the handhold shank 80, this ,assembly'being heldagainst axial movement by means of the threaded washer 82 (see Fig. 11).

.In this modification the fixed legs 60 and 6,2 are'located in alignment on said middle panel .20 and the movable legsupport 64 ,in its foldedcondition isiarranged to lie-Within the ambit of said fixed legsand with its legs .70 and 72 in alignment with the fixed legs 66 and 62, as is best seen from viewing Fig. 1 0.of the drawings.

For limiting the movement in its opposite directions of the movable leg support there is provided on the movable panel22. a plug stop 84 (for, engaging the'horiz ontal member 66 in its set-up condition) and a pin stop .86

aflixed underneath to the panel '20 (for engaging the horizontal member in its collapsed orfolded condition), as best seen respectively in Figs. 1-2 and" of the drawings. In this structural form, means is additionally pro- .vided for stopping the movement of thernovable panels their openand set-up condition shown in Figs.v 8, 1,1 and 12 of the drawings. Upon reverse rotation of the handhold the movable leg support as-well as the drop-leaf panels will move to their folded or collapsed conditions.

The use and operation of the foldable table of the present invention and the several advantages thereof will now be fully apparent from the abovedetailed description. It will befurther apparentthat changes may be made in the described construction without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A handhold actuated foldable table comprising an elongated middle panel, a pair of drop-leaf panels hinged to said middle panel, one on each longitudinal side thereof, afixed leg support for said table comprising a pair of legs fixed to the middle panel, one at each'end' thereof, amovable leg supportforsaid tablecornprising ahori- .zontal member arranged contiguously below and pivoted medially the ends thereof to said middle panel. andlapair.

of legs, one depending from each end of said horizontal member, said movable leg support being movable about its pivot axis between a folded position lying in a plane within the ambit of said middle panel with said dropleaf panels then in folded dropped condition and a set-up position lying in a plane crossing said middlepanelwith the drop-leaf panels then in'horizontal set-up condition,

the said horizontal memberiforming the support for said drop-leaf panels intheir set-pp condition, and .a;hand-' hold fixedlyattached to said'horizontal member at said pivoted axis and extending above said middle panel and adapted to be grasped for moving said movable leg support from one to the other of its sai'dpositions.

2. Thejol'dable tableof claim 1' in which the opposite ends of the movable leg support are arranged contiguouslyto the drop-leafpanels when the table isinifol'ded condition, whereby said leg support when moved by said handle to set-up condition Will engage .andunove thesaid panels to their set-up condition.

3.'The foldable table of claim '1 in which the fixed legs arelocated at diagonal corners of said middle panel and the movable leg supportin its folded conditionis arranged cross-diagonally of said middle panel.

4. The foldable table of claim l in which the fixed legs are'located in alignment on said middle panel and the movable leg support in its folded conditionis arranged to'lie within the ambit of said'fixedlegswand in alignment therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent .UNITED STATES .PATENTS 

